Finding grace, in the midst of my mess.

A Momma’s Worship

I see you there, sweet, tired momma. I know that you had a little one that kept you up all night, and a toddler that was jumping with excitement at the first light of morning. I know you are beyond just being tired. You’ve crossed the threshold from “tired” to bone aching exhaustion, yet in the midst of this beautiful service you have been entrusted with, you feel dry. You feel parched and achy for refreshment. You’ve missed church for the second (or more) week because of sickness. I know that when you do go, you close your eyes in worship, to be interrupted and needed once more. I know that you wonder how you are going to fit in that Bible study, find privacy to pray in your closet or do much more than utter desperate prayers throughout your day. I know. I know that the feeling of not doing enough can be overwhelming.

Hear me, sweet momma.

Your life is your worship. Your service to your family is your offering. Your ministry can be comforting your children, encouraging them to grow in the Lord, and speaking words of affirmation to your husband. Even in the mundane tasks such as work, school, laundry, dishes, and packing lunches, you are ministering to your family. Your sweet babies are watching. They see you. You are helping them hold their pen, as they write their story of life. You don’t know it, but you are. It is because of you that they will understand what it means to serve. It is because of you that they will understand grace and love. It is because of your life worship.

Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts:

If prophecy,use it according to the standard of one’s faith;if service, in service;if teaching, in teaching;if exhorting, in exhortation;giving, with generosity;leading, with diligence;showing mercy, with cheerfulness.
Romans 12:1-8

It will not be like this forever. Before you know it, your children will be sleeping all night, your bone weary exhaustion will become a once in awhile feeling, and the way that you serve will change. Just keep in mind that right here, right now, this is your service. This is your worship. So lead on, momma, with diligence. Give generously and show mercy with cheerfulness. This part of your life matters, because you are serving and growing lives that matter. You have been entrusted with greatness, even when it feels not so great. It’s good, even when you don’t feel it. So, fellow mommas (me too), let’s renew our minds and seek to serve with gladness, letting our lives be our worship.